Question
Question: What are \(4\) physical properties that distinguish metals from non-metals of the periodic table?...
What are 4 physical properties that distinguish metals from non-metals of the periodic table?
Solution
A physical property is an attribute of matter that is independent of its chemical composition. Density, color, hardness, melting and boiling points, and electrical conductivity are all examples of physical properties.
Complete answer:
In order to distinguish metals from non-metals with respect to physical properties, firstly we should know about different types of physical properties of metals.Different types of physical properties are discussed below –
Luster: The quality of reflecting light from their surface and can be polished e.g., gold, silver and copper.
Malleability: A malleable material is one that can be easily moulded into a thin layer by hammering or rolling.
Ductility: The degree to which a material can withstand plastic deformation under tensile stress before failing is known as ductility. 100 g of silver, for example, can be drawn through a 200-meter-long thin wire.
Hardness: Hardness refers to a material's ability to resist deformation, as measured by an indentation resistance test which are soft and can be cut with a knife, all metals are hard.
Valency: The number of electrons that must be lost or gained by an atom to obtain a stable electron configuration is the valency of an element, which is known as the number of electrons that must be lost or gained by an atom to obtain a stable electron configuration.
Conduction: Heat energy is transferred by collisions between adjacent atoms or molecules in the process of conduction.
Density: The density of a substance is a measurement of its mass per unit of volume.
Differences:
Metal | Non-Metal |
---|---|
Except for mercury, these are solids at room temperature. | Non-metal exists in all the three states. |
Metals are malleable and ductile in nature. | Non-metals are brittle in nature and can easily break down into pieces. |
Metals have high density. | Non-Metals have low density. |
Metals are shiny. | Non-metals are non-lustrous in nature. |
Metals are hard in nature | Non-metals are soft in nature |
Note:
Metals and non-metals have different properties (allotropes). They come in a variety of shapes and properties. Allotropes are elements that can be found in two or more physical forms.